Keep in mind!

It is important to build a certain consensus among the audience about what they are viewing. At the least, they should agree on what the conflict is. The joker should ask questions and create a discussion about the scene to ensure this. Remember though, that the joker does not decide what the conflict is! S/he should instead ask questions to elicit the conflict from the audience: “what did you see?”, “what is the theme/headline of this scene?”

If the audience hesitates to stop the scene, the joker can try to help them along by asking: “I just want to be sure that you think everything is alright in this scene?” or “Do you agree with the way they are acting?” This can facilitate some answers. If the play comes to a halt or if it becomes unrealistic, do not be afraid to stop the scene. If it becomes irrelevant for the participants, this will damage their whole experience of the event. Instead, you can move on to another play.

If you ask the audience to discuss in groups or pairs, always remember to follow up – if they have taken the time to form an opinion they should be given a chance to voice it.